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This Employer Webinar Series program is presented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLP in conjunction with United Benefit Advisors. W-2 Reporting of Employer Health Coverage: The Clock is Ticking. Kenneth A. Mason Julia M. Vander Weele March 13, 2012. Presenters. Kenneth A. Mason, JD
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This Employer Webinar Series program is presented by Spencer Fane Britt & Browne LLPin conjunction with United Benefit Advisors
W-2 Reporting of Employer Health Coverage: The Clock is Ticking Kenneth A. Mason Julia M. Vander Weele March 13, 2012
Presenters Kenneth A. Mason, JD Partner kmason@spencerfane.com 913-327-5138 Julia Vander Weele, JD Partner jvanderweele@spencerfane.com 816-292-8182
Agenda • Overview • Covered Employers • Reportable Coverage • Exemptions • Valuation of Coverage • Employer Action Steps
Overview • PPACA requires that employers report, on Form W-2, the aggregate value of applicable employer-sponsored coverage • Optional for 2011 • Mandatory for 2012 (for W-2s to be provided in January 2013)
Overview • IRS guidance: • Notice 2011-28 • Notice 2012-9 (largely replaces Notice 2011-28) • 11 FAQs and chart (2-15-12) • Reporting does not affect tax treatment of employer- sponsored health coverage • For informational purposes only • At least for now
Overview • Reported in Box 12, using Code DD
Covered Employers • Private employers • Governmental entities (except Indian tribal governments) • Churches and other religious organizations
Small Employers • Transition relief for small employers: • Employers that were required to issue fewer than 250 W-2s for the prior year are exempt • For this purpose, must disregard any agent hired to handle W-2 reporting (e.g., common paymaster) • Applies on a common-law employer basis, rather than to a controlled group • Transition relief applies until further guidance is issued
Example One • Corporation A filed 200 W-2s for 2011. Its wholly-owned subsidiary (Corporation B) filed 100 W-2s for 2011. • Neither corporation would be required to report for 2012, because neither filed 250 W-2s. • However, if Corporation B had been a division of Corporation A (i.e., they shared a single tax ID number), both entities would have been subject to the reporting requirement for 2012.
Example Two • Corporation A filed 500 W-2s for 2011, but no single division or worksite had 250 employees. Moreover, only 100 of its employees had elected health coverage. • Corporation A would be required to report for 2012, because it filed more than 250 W-2s for 2011. • Number of employees having health coverage is irrelevant.
Reportable Coverage • Coverage is “reportable coverage” if part of “group health plan” • For this purpose, may use COBRA definition. 26 C.F.R. §54.4980B-2 (Q&A-1) • Plan maintained by an employer or employee organization, and • Providing “medical care” to individuals with an employment-related connection
Reportable Coverage • Reportable coverage includes: • Medical • Prescription drug • Dental (unless exempt) • Vision (unless exempt) • Either insured or self-funded • Also includes dependent coverage
Reportable Coverage • Generally, must report value of both non-taxable and taxable health coverage • Example: Taxable coverage provided to domestic partner or child over age 27 • But should not report (in Box 12) benefits that are taxable only . . . • Due to violation of Code Section 105(h) nondiscrimination rules, or • Because received by a 2% or greater S corporation shareholder
Non-Reportable Amounts • The following are not “reportable coverage” (and therefore should not be reported): • Contributions to • Health Savings Accounts (“HSAs”) • Archer Medical Savings Accounts • Note, however, that these contributions must be reported in same box (Box 12), using Code W • Accident, long-term care, disability income, workers’ compensation, or life insurance • Health club memberships
“Noncoordinated” Benefits • Hospital indemnity insurance and coverage for a specific disease or illness: • Should not be reported if premiums are paid exclusively by employees on an after-tax basis • Must be reported if employees pay premiums on a pre-taxbasis (or employer pays premiums) • In this case, entire value of coverage must be reported • Even if otherwise exempt from ERISA as a “voluntary insurance arrangement” • And even if an “excepted benefit” under HIPAA
Temporary Exemptions • Until further guidance is issued, the following types of coverage need not be reported (but also may be reported): • Coverage under a multiemployer plan • Coverage under any self-insured plan that is exempt from COBRA (such as a church plan) • Coverage under a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (“HRA”)
Dental or Vision Coverage • Dental or vision coverage is exempt if an “excepted benefit” under HIPAA: • Offered under a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance or • May be elected separately in return for an additional premium • Subject to optionalreporting
EAPs, Wellness, and Clinics • Employee assistance plans, wellness programs, and on-site medical clinics: • Should not be reported if no “medical care” is provided • Examples of “medical care” • Counseling under EAP • Biometric screenings in wellness program
EAPs, Wellness, and Clinics • EAPs, wellness programs, and on-site medical clinics: • Must be reported if: • Provide “medical care,” and • Separate COBRA premium charged to continue such coverage • Temporarily exempt from reporting (but may be reported) if: • Provide “medical care,” but • No separate COBRA premium charged to continue such coverage
Optional Reporting • Employer may choose to report cost of temporarily exempt coverage if administratively easier to do so. However: • Coverage must be employer-sponsored, and • Cost must be calculated correctly • Might give employees better idea of employer’s actual health care costs (e.g., if cost of HRA, wellness program, EAP, or on-site clinic is included)
FSAs – Employee Contributions • If only employees contribute to health flexible spending account (“FSA”), nothing should be reported on W-2
FSAs – Employer Contributions • However, if an employer contributes to a health FSA (including via flex credits), some or all of those employer contributions may have to be reported • Definitely if employee’s annual FSA amount exceeds employee’s pre-tax contributions for all qualified cafeteria plan benefits • Perhaps if any employer contributions are specifically allocated to an FSA
Example One • Facts: Employer A provides each employee with a flex credit of $1,000. • Employee X elects total qualified benefits of $3,000, contributing $2,000 of his own money. • He allocates $1,500 to a health FSA. • Result: Because Employee X’s own contribution ($2,000) exceeded his FSA amount ($1,500), none of the employer contribution should be reported on X’s W-2.
Example Two • Facts: Employer B also provides each employee with a flex credit of $1,000. • Employee Y elects total qualified benefits of $3,000, contributing $2,000 of his own money. • He allocates $2,500 to a health FSA. • Result: Because Employee Y’s FSA amount ($2,500) exceeded his own contribution ($2,000), $500 of the employer contribution should be reported on Y’s W-2.
Example Three • Employer C makes a matching contribution to each employee’s health FSA, equal to 100% of the first $700 the employee contributes to his or her own FSA. • Per Notice 2012-9, this $700 employer contribution must be reported, regardless of how much an employee contributes for other qualified benefits. • Apparently because this matching contribution was allocated directly to the FSA.
Example Four • Employer D makes a $200 contribution to the FSA account of any employee who completes a health risk assessment. • Under the logic of Example Three, this contribution should be reported on the employee’s W-2. • Note: This result might be avoided if the employer simply gave each employee who completes a health risk assessment $200 in flex credits, to be used for any purpose under the cafeteria plan.
Non-Employees • Need not report for anyone who would not otherwise receive a W-2 • Examples of such individuals (who might be health plan beneficiaries) include: • COBRA beneficiaries • Retirees • Non-employee directors • Independent contractors
Special Non-Reporting Rules • Need not report on W-2 issued during the calendar year (at terminated employee’s request) • Third-party sick pay provider need not report the cost of any health coverage • However, if employer issues a W-2 during that same year, employer’s W-2 must report the cost of any health coverage.
Valuation of Coverage • Amount to be reported should reflect both employer and employee portions of cost • Annual amount is equal to the sum of all monthly amounts • All plans of the same employer (but not controlled group) must be aggregated
Insured Plans • Value of insured coverage = Premium paid to insurer • Example: Employer provides fully insured group medical coverage to employees • Insurer charges an annual premium of $7,500 for individual coverage • Employer pays 60% of the premium ($4,500) and employee pays 40% ($3,000) • Full premium amount of $7,500 must be reported on employee’s W-2
Self-funded Plans • Value of self-funded overage = COBRA “applicable premium” (without the 2% administrative charge) • Example: Employer provides self-funded medical coverage • Actuary determines that applicable COBRA premium for employee-only coverage is $500 per month • Employer must report $6,000 ($500 x 12) for any employee who had employee-only coverage for the full year
Mid-Year Changes • Valuation must take into account any mid-year election changes made by employee: • Example: Employee adds coverage for spouse in connection with marriage, or a child ages out of coverage • Example: Under non-calendar year plan, employee moves from PPO to high deductible health plan as of first day of plan year
Mid-Year Changes • Valuation must also take into account any mid-year changes made by employer: • Example: Employer improves or curtails benefits during calendar year • Example: Employer raises COBRA rates during calendar year (because the 12-month COBRA “determination period” is not the calendar year)
Mid-Year Changes • For convenience, may fix monthly value as of first day of each month, thereby disregarding any changes made during that month • Nonetheless, will require careful tracking of monthly changes, with the ability to retain that data
Value Fixed as of December 31 • Annual value may be determined as of December 31 of reporting year • May disregard subsequent events, even if they affect the value of coverage received during reporting year • Example: Retroactive addition of coverage for newborn child • Example: Retroactive dropping of coverage on divorce
Plans Providing Mixed Coverage • Options if single plan provides both health and non-health coverage: • Report only value of health coverage, using any reasonable allocation method • If non-health coverage is merely “incidental” to health coverage (e.g., medical plan with disability income benefit), may report entire value • If health coverage is merely “incidental” to non-health coverage (e.g., long-term care plan with small medical benefit), may report nothing
Special Valuation Rules • Employee terminating during calendar year: • Mustreport value of coverage for period as an employee • May report value of coverage after termination of employment (e.g., COBRA or retiree coverage) • Pay period overlapping calendar years may be reasonably (and consistently) allocated • between both calendar years, or • to eithercalendar year
Subsidized COBRA Premiums • May use good faith estimates if employer subsidizes COBRA premiums • Example: Employer A charges only $150 per month for single COBRA coverage • However, Employer A makes good-faith estimate that COBRA applicable premium for single coverage is $300 per month • Should report cost of single coverage for active employee as $300 per month
Composite Rates • Special rules apply if employer charges active employees a “composite” rate • Example: All active employees pay same premium for either employee-only or employee-plus-spouse coverage. Plan also charges a composite COBRA premium for such coverage • Should use composite COBRA premium for employees having either employee-only or employee-plus-spouse coverage
Composite Rates • If employer charges active employees a composite rate, but charges separate rates to COBRA beneficiaries, two reporting options: • Use separate COBRA rates, or • Calculate and use composite rate • Thus, employer in prior Example could either • Report higher COBRA applicable premium for employee-plus-spouse coverage, or • Calculate and report composite “applicable premium”
Multiple Related Employers • If an employee receives health coverage from multiple related employers during the same calendar year: • Any “common paymaster” must report the full cost of the coverage • If there is no common paymaster, employers may either • allocate the cost on a reasonable basis (e.g., months employed by each employer during the year), or • have a single employer report the full cost
Successor Employers • If an employee receives health coverage from two unrelated employers, where one employer is a “successor” to the other employer: • Each employer must report its share of the total costs on its own W-2 • However, if the successor employer issues a W-2 for entire year, that W-2 should reflect value of coverage provided by both employers
Future IRS Guidance • IRS expects to issue further guidance on this topic • However, any such guidance would be prospectively effective only • And it would apply only to calendar years beginning at least six months after guidance is issued • No further guidance will apply to 2012
Employer Action Steps • Determine whether subject to reporting requirement • Identify all coverages subject to reporting • Determine how to value those coverages • Verify that payroll systems will capture and retain the necessary data (including changes) • Consider special employee communication, either with or in advance of the W-2s